The 2011 Maryport Blues
Festival took place over the weekend of Friday 29th July to
Sunday 31st July. The main marquee was again at the
Netherhall Rugby Club ground near the River Ellen.

The event opened, as usual,
with an address by the Mayor of Maryport who hoped that everyone would
enjoy this year’s event.

The first act to hit the
stage was the winner of the local “Battle of the Bands” contest Balmoral Road from
Whitehaven who formed in July 2010. This four piece band fronted by Emma
Dockeray on rhythm guitar and vocals performed a set of mostly original
material from the current EP “Save It For Suzy” including “I’ll Wait For
You”, Everything Else” and “Wrecking Ball”. Covers included “Billie
Jean” and “Crazy”.

Henrik Freischlader
and his band from Germany were up next, with the Maryport Festival being
their only UK date. Stratocaster wielding Henrik, backed by bass,
keyboards and drums, delivered a set of material from his current album
and included “Longer Days”, “The Bridge” – this had shades of Robin
Trower, “Bad Dreams” with the guitar and keyboards playing off one
another. Covers included a fine rendition of the Fleetwood Mac classic
“I Loved Another Woman” played on a honeyburst Les Paul, a fitting
tribute to Peter Green one of Henrik’s heroes. The set closed with a
fine tribute to Gary Moore in the form of an instrumental taking in most
of Gary’s guitar mannerisms. All in all a fine set of guitar mangling.

Next was Joanne Shaw Taylor
one of a number of female guitar players making a name for themselves on
the UK blues scene. Joanne on Telecaster, backed by bass and drums,
delivered a set of material from her current album “White Sugar”
including “Times Come” a slow blues and “Dead and Gone” played on a
Squire 51. New material was also showcased including the title track
from her new album “Diamonds in the Dirt”. The audience were ecstatic
when Joanne played a Jimi Hendrix cover “Manic Depression”. Henrik
Freishlader joined the stage to lead the band through Freddie King’s
“Going Down”.

Closing the Friday session
was the first of the USA stars, Joe Louis
Walker with the Todd Sharpville Band. Todd
on a Stratocaster guitar and the band of keyboards, bass and drums,
opened the show with “Just Can’t Stand” and then introduced the star of
the show. Joe Louis Walker using a black Les Paul guitar started off
with driving slide guitar on “Tell Me Why” followed by the funky “It’s a
Shame” and changing to harmonica for Sonnyboy Williamsons “Sugar Mama”
featuring a high register harp solo. Other songs featured during the set
included “I’m Tied”, “Ain’t That Cold” with slide guitar and “Like It
This Way”. Todd Sharpville led the tribute to Peter Green “Need Your
Love So Bad” with the set finishing abruptly after “Lousy Husband, Real
Good Guy” as the band had run over time and had to finish. Todd
Sharpville was clearly in charge of this performance, which was similar
to one seen earlier in the year, and should have been billed as Todd
Sharpville featuring Joe Louis Walker.

Mark Singleton, MC for the
weekend

Musician Mark Singleton started
playing the drums around 14 years ago and now plays with blues/rock trio
Sidewinder, alongside Stage Manager Mike Dodd. His former
band The Answer opened the festival several years ago. Mark
began his comparing career at the festival's Battle of the Bands contests in 2006 and 2007.